for car enthusiasts

What To Look For In Your Next Sports Car Purchase

Sports cars are most definitely a lifestyle choice when it comes to motoring. They are designed to be cars that are fun to drive, and typically offer little in the way of practicality or cabin space.

Yet there is something that appeals about sports cars to a number of motorists in the United Kingdom, so much so that many folks will often own two cars; a “fun” sports car and an everyday workhorse such as an estate car.

If you are thinking of buying a sports car, there are a few things that you should think about before making a purchasing decision. Here is what you need to know.

Soft-top or coupe?

When it comes to buying a sports car, you are usually offered the choice of buying a soft-top or a coupe. Both look great and don’t detract from the car’s styling, but they perform different tasks.

For example, a soft-top is great for the few days of the year where we get warm sunshine in Britain, but if you live in a particularly rainy part of this small island then a coupe might be a better bet.

It is also worth noting that soft-top covers can sometimes be a target for vandals, and are often expensive to repair or replace.

Is a sports car for you?

You will need to have a think about whether owning such a car will suit your lifestyle or not, because sports cars are not designed for people with families in tow, nor are they practical in any sense of the word (save for the occasional single carrier bag filled with goodies from your local supermarket that will tide you over for a couple of days).

Can you afford to buy a sports car?

Sports cars can either be cheap or expensive, it’s as simple as that. Many people prefer a fun and cheap car like the Mazda MX-5 over something expensive such as the Jaguar F-Type for obvious reasons, but if you’re loaded then it doesn’t really matter what car you buy, I guess!

But apart from the cost of buying the car, you will also need to factor in the cost for keeping it on the road! Examples of common ongoing costs include tax, insurance, MOTs, servicing and maintenance.

Sadly, a lot of people in the UK buy sports cars thinking that they can easily afford to keep them on the road, and yet when they discover that some models could cost them a small fortune (especially if you live in a not-so-nice neighbourhood where car crime is rife), they have to begrudgingly sell their short-lived pride and joys!

Websites such as Which? Cars and Parkers can help you determine just how much it will cost to keep your desired sports car on the road, so that you can come to a realistic decision as to whether you should go out and buy the car or not.